For decades, an untold number of cats have suffered, enduring years of
daily, repeated (up to 20 times a day), practice intubation at the hands of
pediatric residents at the medical school of the University of Virginia.
These cats are used to teach pediatric intubation in spite of the fact that
superior, non-animal alternatives: the purpose-built, anatomically correct
neonatal simulators, already in use by 95% of US med schools, are readily
available.

James P Natarro, MD, PhD, Pediatrics Chair, UVA, refuses to accept and
embrace modern scientific advancement. Our goal, by whatever means
necessary, is to stop this before the beginning of Spring term, 2013, when
UV will purchase more cats from their current disreputable Class A dealer,
Liberty Research, a company that the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited
for more than 20 Animal Welfare Act violations between July 2009 and April
2011.

UVA has a new medical simulation center, and they already have an infant
simulator. They easily replaced the dog lab with a suitable simulation
course in 2004, and could obviously do the same with the intubation lab. We
believe continued pressure on the medical school dean and the head of the
pediatrics department will eventually lead to change.

We are a rapidly expanding group of serious, dedicated, compassionate
animal advocates organizing on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/144828258983731/ and we welcome and urge
members of the ALF to join us. We are wholeheartedly committed to "being the
change we want to see in the world" and our goals are realistic and within
reach!

We have joined in unity for this purpose: To rescue the cats
currently suffering and imprisoned at the University of Virginia medical
school intubation lab and see to it that they are forever replaced with
neonatal simulators.